Growing crowds of large white birds on rocks by The Dalles Dam have drawn plenty of notice this year. They’re American white pelicans, and they were first spotted locally a few years ago by wildlife officials, but this summer, the population has just exploded.

Great blue herons and great egrets Coastal estuaries are host to two impressive birds this time of year, great egrets and great blue herons. Both herons and egrets are wading birds that prowl the shallows looking for fish, crustaceans and amphibians.